This invention relates to a drug dispenser for storing and dispensing drugs according to prescriptions, and an input device through which prescribed drug names and their quantities are inputted into the dispensers.
A typical conventional drug dispenser of this type has a plurality of drug feeders set in storage shelves, and discharge means for discharging drugs in the feeders to a predetermined position. The discharge means discharge drugs, according to prescription data entered from outside, from a corresponding feeder.
An operator periodically removes the feeders from the shelves to check the number of drugs remaining in each feeder. If the operator finds any feeder running short of drugs, corresponding drugs are taken out of a drug stocker and are put into the feeder.
Such drug replenishment is carried out by an operator in the following manner. First, the operator removes all the drug feeders from the shelves. Then, the operator checks the number of drugs remaining in each feeder, selects feeders that need replenishment, puts the selected feeders on a worktable, memorizes or writes down all the drug names to be replenished, walks to the drug stocker, takes necessary drugs out of the stocker, brings them onto the worktable, puts them into the corresponding feeders, and then puts the feeders back into the shelves.
An operator has to do this troublesome work periodically. The intervals between such replenishment and stocktaking routines have to be sufficiently short, because otherwise some feeders may run out of drugs. If the drug dispenser is operated with some of the feeders empty, the dispenser will stop. This extremely lowers work efficiency.
An object of this invention is to reduce the workload on operators during replenishment and stocktaking of drugs stored in a drug dispenser.
According to this invention, there is provided a drug dispenser comprising a plurality of drug feeders in which are stored different kinds of drugs, a discharge means for discharging prescribed drugs from corresponding ones of the drug feeders according to a prescription, a memory means for storing data on the initial number of drugs in each of the drug feeders, a processing means for calculating the number of drugs currently remaining in each of the drug feeders by subtracting the number of drugs discharged from each of the drug feeders from the initial number of drugs in each of the drug feeders, and a display means for displaying the names of drugs if the number of drugs currently remaining in the any drug feeder is smaller than a predetermined value. A sensor may be provided to detect the number of drugs currently remaining in each of said drug feeders.
The drug dispenser according to this invention has a function of displaying a drug name if the number of drugs remaining in a corresponding drug feeder decreases below a predetermined value. An operator can thus easily see which drug feeders are short of drugs without the need to take out and look into the feeders.
Every time drugs are supplied into a feeder, a predetermined number may be added to the number of drugs remaining in the particular feeder before drugs are supplied. This eliminates the necessity to renew the number of drugs remaining in each feeder by inputting the number of drugs replenished every time drugs are replenished. Ordinarily, drugs in one box or two boxes are supplied into a feeder. Thus, the number of drugs supplied at one time is usually xe2x80x9cpredeterminedxe2x80x9d for each drug type, so that it is possible to use the xe2x80x9cpredetermined numberxe2x80x9d.
The names of drugs to be replenished may be displayed in the form of a list so that an operator can see the drug names more easily. Further, the drug names may be arranged in the order of their numbers. With this arrangement, drugs can be more easily taken out of the drug stocker because drugs are usually arranged in the order of their numbers in the stocker.
The displayed drug names may be printed out by a printer so that an operator does not have to memorize or write down the drug names.
From another aspect of this invention, there is provided an input device comprising an reader means for reading identification data affixed to each of a plurality of drug feeders of a drug dispenser, means for determining the name of drugs in the each drug feeder based on the identification data read by the reader means, a weighing means for weighing the each drug feeder containing drugs, a processing means for calculating the weight of the drugs in the each drug feeder based on the weight data obtained by the weighing means and calculating the number of drugs currently remaining in the each drug feeder by dividing the weight of the drugs in the each drug feeder by the unit weight of the drugs in the each drug feeder, and a transmission means for transmitting data on the drug names and the number of drugs remaining in the each drug feeder to the drug dispenser.
The reader means reads and displays the name of drugs in each feeder. The number of drugs in any feeder and the drug name are transmitted to the drug dispenser. Based on this data, the number of drugs remaining in each feeder can be renewed easily.
There is also provided an input device comprising a reader means for reading identification data affixed to each of the plurality of drug feeders of the drug dispenser, and a transmission means for transmitting data, on drug names obtained based on the identification data read by the reader means, to the drug dispenser.
The term xe2x80x9cdrug namesxe2x80x9d herein used refers not only to the formal names of drugs but sometimes to abbreviations, code numbers, and other marks and symbols with which operators can specify drug types. The term xe2x80x9cdrug numbersxe2x80x9d herein used refers to every kind of identification numbers and codes assigned to each drug type.
Other features and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings.